652 research outputs found
The Gross Anatomy of the Alimentary Canal of Solubea Pugnax (Fab.) (Heteroptera, Pentatomidae)
Author Institution: State College, Mississipp
Muscle Fatigue Analysis Using OpenSim
In this research, attempts are made to conduct concrete muscle fatigue
analysis of arbitrary motions on OpenSim, a digital human modeling platform. A
plug-in is written on the base of a muscle fatigue model, which makes it
possible to calculate the decline of force-output capability of each muscle
along time. The plug-in is tested on a three-dimensional, 29 degree-of-freedom
human model. Motion data is obtained by motion capturing during an arbitrary
running at a speed of 3.96 m/s. Ten muscles are selected for concrete analysis.
As a result, the force-output capability of these muscles reduced to 60%-70%
after 10 minutes' running, on a general basis. Erector spinae, which loses
39.2% of its maximal capability, is found to be more fatigue-exposed than the
others. The influence of subject attributes (fatigability) is evaluated and
discussed
Validating the Postdischarge Surgical Recovery Scale 13 as a Measure of Perceived Postoperative Recovery After Laparoscopic Sacrocolpopexy
Objectives
No postoperative recovery measurement tools have been validated among women undergoing laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy for pelvic organ prolapse, which impedes development and testing of strategies to improve recovery. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of the Postdischarge Surgical Recovery Scale (PSR) as a measure of perceived recovery in laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy patients.
Methods Women (N = 120) with stage 2 or higher pelvic organ prolapse undergoing laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy completed a 15-minute postoperative survey (days 7, 14, 42, and 90 [each ± 3 days]) which included the 15-item PSR. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted using data from 14 days postsurgery, when patients would have begun to recover, but there was likely to be substantial variability in recovery across patients. We also assessed validity and explored sensitivity to change over time and minimally important difference values.
Results Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a good fitting model for a reduced version of the PSR (ie, PSR13). Regressions showed that the PSR13 prospectively predicted single-item recovery scores. The PSR13 recovery significantly improved from days 7 to 42, suggesting the PSR13 is sensitive to change. Descriptive statistics including minimally important differences are reported. The minimally important difference was estimated to be around 5 points.
Conclusions
The PSR13 is a psychometrically sound tool for measuring recovery over time in this population. Its short length makes it an ideal postoperative recovery measure in clinical practice or research
Predictors of Postdischarge Surgical Recovery Following Laparoscopic Sacrocolpopexy: A Prospective Cohort Study
Objectives
Our aim was to identify sociodemographic/clinical, surgical, and psychosocial predictors of postdischarge surgical recovery after laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy.
Methods
Study participants (N=171) with ≥ stage 2 pelvic organ prolapse completed a preoperative survey measuring hypothesized sociodemographic/clinical, surgical, and psychosocial recovery predictors followed by a postoperative survey at four time points (day 7, 14, 42, and 90) that included the Postdischarge Surgical Recovery (PSR)13 scale. One multivariate linear regression model was constructed for each time point to regress PSR13 scores on an a priori set of hypothesized predictors. All variables that had p values less than 0.1 were considered significant predictors of recovery because of the exploratory nature of this study and focus on model building rather than model testing.
Results
Predictors of recovery at one or more time points included the following: Sociodemographic/clinical predictors: older age, higher body mass index, fewer comorbidities, and greater preoperative pain predicted greater recovery. Surgical predictors: fewer perioperative complications and greater change in the leading edge of prolapse after surgery predicted greater recovery. Psychosocial predictors: less endorsement of doctors locus of control, greater endorsement of others locus of control, and less sick role investment predicted greater recovery.
Conclusions
Identified sociodemographic/clinical, surgical, and psychosocial predictors should provide physicians with evidence based guidance on recovery times for patients and family members. This knowledge is critical for informing future research to determine if these predictors are modifiable by changes to our narrative during the preoperative consultation visit. These efforts may reduce the postdischarge surgical recovery for patients with pelvic organ prolapse after laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy, accepting the unique demands on each individual’s time
Grey solitons in a strongly interacting superfluid Fermi Gas
The Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer to Bose-Einstein condensate (BCS to BEC)
crossover problem is solved for stationary grey solitons via the Boguliubov-de
Gennes equations at zero temperature. These \emph{crossover solitons} exhibit a
localized notch in the gap and a characteristic phase difference across the
notch for all interaction strengths, from BEC to BCS regimes. However, they do
not follow the well-known Josephson-like sinusoidal relationship between
velocity and phase difference except in the far BEC limit: at unitary the
velocity has a nearly linear dependence on phase difference over an extended
range. For fixed phase difference the soliton is of nearly constant depth from
the BEC limit to unitarity and then grows progressively shallower into the BCS
limit, and on the BCS side Friedel oscillations are apparent in both gap
amplitude and phase. The crossover soliton appears fundamentally in the gap; we
show, however, that the density closely follows the gap, and the soliton is
therefore observable. We develop an approximate power law relationship to
express this fact: the density of grey crossover solitons varies as the square
of the gap amplitude in the BEC limit and a power of about 1.5 at unitarity.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, part of New Journal of Physics focus issue
"Strongly Correlated Quantum Fluids: From Ultracold Quantum Gases to QCD
Plasmas," in pres
Metagenomic Profiling of Microbial Pathogens in the Little Bighorn River, Montana
The Little Bighorn River is the primary source of water for water treatment plants serving the local Crow Agency population, and has special significance in the spiritual and ceremonial life of the Crow tribe. Unfortunately, the watershed suffers from impaired water quality, with high counts of fecal coliform bacteria routinely measured during run-off events. A metagenomic analysis was carried out to identify potential pathogens in the river water. The Oxford Nanopore MinION platform was used to sequence DNA in near real time to identify both uncultured and a coliform-enriched culture of microbes collected from a popular summer swimming area of the Little Bighorn River. Sequences were analyzed using CosmosID bioinformatics and, in agreement with previous studies, enterohemorrhagic and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli and other E. coli pathotypes were identified. Noteworthy was detection and identification of enteroaggregative E. coli O104:H4 and Vibrio cholerae serotype O1 El Tor, however, cholera toxin genes were not identified. Other pathogenic microbes, as well as virulence genes and antimicrobial resistance markers, were also identified and characterized by metagenomic analyses. It is concluded that metagenomics provides a useful and potentially routine tool for identifying in an in-depth manner microbial contamination of waterways and, thereby, protecting public health
Prospective open-label study of add-on and monotherapy topiramate in civilians with chronic nonhallucinatory posttraumatic stress disorder
BACKGROUND: In order to confirm therapeutic effects of topiramate on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) observed in a prior study, a new prospective, open-label study was conducted to examine acute responses in chronic, nonhallucinatory PTSD. METHODS: Thirty-three consecutive newly recruited civilian adult outpatients (mean age 46 years, 85% female) with DSM-IV-diagnosed chronic PTSD, excluding those with concurrent auditory or visual hallucinations, received topiramate either as monotherapy (n = 5) or augmentation (n = 28). The primary measure was a change in the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C) score from baseline to 4 weeks, with response defined as a ≥ 30% reduction of PTSD symptoms. RESULTS: For those taking the PCL-C at both baseline and week 4 (n = 30), total symptoms declined by 49% at week 4 (paired t-test, P < 0.001) with similar subscale reductions for reexperiencing, avoidance/numbing, and hyperarousal symptoms. The response rate at week 4 was 77%. Age, sex, bipolar comorbidity, age at onset of PTSD, duration of symptoms, severity of baseline PCL-C score, and monotherapy versus add-on medication administration did not predict reduction in PTSD symptoms. Median time to full response was 9 days and median dosage was 50 mg/day. CONCLUSIONS: Promising open-label findings in a new sample converge with findings of a previous study. The use of topiramate for treatment of chronic PTSD, at least in civilians, warrants controlled clinical trials
Questioning the rise of gelatinous zooplankton in the World's oceans
During the past several decades, high numbers of gelatinous zooplankton species have been reported in many estuarine and coastal ecosystems. Coupled with media-driven public perception, a paradigm has evolved in which the global ocean ecosystems are thought to be heading toward being dominated by “nuisance” jellyfish. We question this current paradigm by presenting a broad overview of gelatinous zooplankton in a historicalcontext to develop the hypothesis that population changes reflect the human-mediated alteration of global ocean ecosystems. To this end, we synthesize information related to the evolutionary context of contemporary gelatinous zooplankton blooms, the human frame of reference forchanges in gelatinous zooplankton populations, and whether sufficient data are available to have established the paradigm. We conclude that the current paradigm in which it is believed that there has been a global increase in gelatinous zooplankton is unsubstantiated, and we develop a strategy for addressing the critical questions about long-term, human-related changes in the sea as they relate to gelatinous zooplankton blooms
Racism, anti-racist practice and social work: articulating the teaching and learning experiences of Black social workers
In the mid 1990s a Black practice teacher programme was established in Manchester and Merseyside with the primary aim to increase the number of Black practice teachers in social work organisations, and in turn provide a supportive and encouraging learning environment for Black student social workers whilst on placement. In the north‐west of England research has been undertaken, to establish the quality of the practice teaching and student learning taking place with Black practice teachers and students. This paper is an exploration of the ideas generated within the placement process that particularly focused on the discourse of racism and ant‐racist practice. Black students and practice teachers explain their understanding of racism and anti‐racist practice within social work. From the research, the paper will critique some of the ideas concerning anti‐racism. In particular, it will question whether anti‐racist social work practice needs to be re‐evaluated in the light of a context with new migrants, asylum seekers and refugees. It will concluded, by arguing that whilst the terms anti‐racism, Black and Minority Ethnic have resonance as a form of political strategic essentialism, it is important to develop more positive representations in the future
- …